


charcoal dust & coffee

by miracleboysatori



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Art Student Tendou, Biology Student Ushijima, Coffee date, M/M, University AU, botanical gardens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-09-06 10:25:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16830784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miracleboysatori/pseuds/miracleboysatori
Summary: Tendou readies his charcoal, stares right at the model. What the rational part of Tendou’s brain seems to be ignoring is that this is not just a typical naked person. No, definitely not.The person standing in front of him absolutely has to be some sort of greek god, Tendou is convinced.Or: A university student AU in which Ushijima volunteers as figure drawing class model and Tendou struggles with a sudden crush.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, hey! This is my fic for the 2018 HQBB! As an art student myself, I've had the idea of art student Tendou and nude model Ushijima sitting in the back of my mind for quite some time now, and this event was the perfect opportunity to finally bring it to life!
> 
> I had _a blast_ writing this. Writing from Tendou's POV, describing his interactions with Ushijima, stuffing in all the fluffy junk amidst all the awkward conversation, these are things I've done many times already, but the addition of getting to use my own experiences from my own Figure Drawing class... it really was such a fun time, and I hope that comes through in my writing! (disclaimer: I have never fallen madly in love with any of the models we had, but also those models were not Ushijima Wakatoshi, or Tendou Satori, for that matter LOL)
> 
> And I was super honored to be paired with my artist, Kai! We're both huge UshiTen fans and getting to talk about a lot of different stuff has been a blast. I've missed having that dose of mutual Tendou love in my life, so it's been really nice! Please check out his [twitter](https://twitter.com/Kai_GRT) and [tumblr](https://kaigrt.tumblr.com/) and, of course, the absolutely stunning artwork to go along with this fic! I feel very lucky and blessed ;; [Please check it out here!](https://kaigrt.tumblr.com/post/180846889705/) (Obligatory warning for Ushijma butt)
> 
> My experience with HQBB in 2016 was incredible (I got to work with my favorite fic writer, owlinaminor), and honestly this year has been just as wonderful! I'm very excited to share this fic with you, and I hope you enjoy! ♡
> 
> (Quick note: this fic is not beta'd, just read through with my own eyes a couple times. Any mistakes are my fault, but I'll try to read through this in a couple days and locate any I missed!)

The dull thump isn’t what wakes him up. It’s the resulting beam of light that filters through his window, now uncaged and free to intrude on his personal space and, of course, interrupt his sleep. 

He groans, eyes still screwed shut in an attempt to hold on to any sleep possible as he flips his entire body to face the wall opposite his window instead. While this helps as far as keeping the sun out of his eyes, the deed has already been done, and he knows without checking his phone that he should have been up a bit ago anyway.

Accepting defeat, he barely opens one eye, runs his hand across his sheets until he finds his laptop and the phone resting on top of it. Just as he thought, it’s already a few minutes past noon, and he must have slept through his alarm set for eleven. Annoying, but unsurprising.

Finally sitting upright, though still avoiding the harsh rays of light coming through his window, he stretches and runs his hands through his hair. He can already feel how messy it is. Typically he’ll try to get a shower before bed at night, but last night he’d been cramming for a school project and, oh yeah, he’d found a new anime to watch and was binging it until almost three in the morning. Maybe that wasn’t the smartest idea, considering he doesn’t even remember half of what happened after episode six.

Oh well.

Eyes finally adjusted to the light, he looks at his window. The black sheet he usually has covering the glass has fallen into a messy pile, allowing sunlight to come inside even though he’s never once in his life welcomed or invited it at any time before noon. Rude.

Course, it’s likely this is _his_ fault, considering he’s always been too lazy to properly drape an actual curtain across his window and has instead opted for scotch tape and a cheap, thin sheet. It wouldn’t be the first time this has happened, and it certainly wouldn't be the last either.

But there’s no time to stare at the window and think about how obnoxious sunlight in the morning is. Class is in less than thirty minutes and factoring in a ten-minute walk, he has about fifteen minutes to get ready and leave.

Crossing his room and stepping into the bathroom, he looks into the mirror and cringes at his own reflection. Now he’s _really_ regretting not finding time for a shower, and he certainly doesn’t have time for one now. He runs his fingers through his messy red mop, still feeling the hair gel leftover from yesterday. At least it’s still doing the job, even though it’s much messier than usual. That’s fine; he doubts anybody in his classes will think anything of it.

He zips through his usual morning routine: brushing his teeth, washing his face, trying his best to tame his hair, and slipping into an outfit consisting of a colorblocked turtleneck sweater and a pair of plain black tight-fitting jeans. He rolls the jeans up, just enough to show his bright pink and yellow striped socks. 

Knowing that it’s nearing time to leave for class, he steps back into his room and begins gathering his things. He runs through the list in his head, tossing everything into his old and tattered gray backpack. Drawing pencils, eraser, charcoal, bottle of ink, sumi-e brushes, newsprint paper --

Where did he put his paper? Oh! He’d left it in his portfolio. He crosses his room and finds the object in question leaning against his desk, clearly labeled with his name on the front: _Tendou Satori_.

Carefully opening the portfolio, Tendou pulls out the pad of newsprint and runs through the list in his head again. He should have everything now. He’d hate to make the mistake again of getting to class and realizing he’s forgotten something at home. Sure, walking back to get it would be easy enough, but it would also take twenty minutes away from class time and well… he likes to avoid walking as much as possible.

After all, he’s an art student, not an athlete.

Well, _technically_ he’d been an athlete before, but not for several years now. Sure, he dabbled in volleyball at a younger age and his parents had said that he’d make a professional team one day, but things didn’t turn out that way, obviously. Volleyball was fun, for a while, but it started to lose its charm after a few years. But art? Art was the best. He’d been doodling on his homework ever since he could remember, and as soon as he’d hit high school, Tendou became a very serious artist.

Lucky for him his parents didn’t mind either way, they just wanted him to be happy. And art was definitely what made Tendou happy. Despite the stress and other issues that college tended to bring along, Tendou was more than happy in his major and was enjoying himself in every single class. As a pretty quirky and unique guy, having a creative outlet was always something he’d required, and getting to have that as part of his schooling was the dream.

Course, that didn’t mean that there weren’t challenges. There were still bits and pieces of certain classes that Tendou found himself struggling with, and that was certainly true for things like sculpture and ceramics. But not for figure drawing.

Figure drawing was easily panning out to be one of Tendou’s favorite classes, something that he looked forward to every other day. In fact, he can feel an obvious skip in his step as he heads towards campus, one arm swinging at his side while the other clutches tightly at his newsprint paper. Today is yet another session with a nude model, who he assumes will be one of their three typical models that rotate every so often. 

The class was a decent size, about fifteen people, and the professor, Washijou Tanji, was an interesting old man with a slight attitude but a real talent for gesture drawing. Some of Tendou’s classmates were a bit scared of Washijou, but Tendou got along great with him! Well, at least, as far as he knows. Either way, he’d been calling Washijou by his given name since around the second or third week of classes. His professor answers to it, and he hasn’t been told to stop yet.

He’s nearing his university’s campus now, which would be obvious even if he hadn’t taken this walk every single day for the past couple years. Students fill the sidewalks, signs of stress and anxiety filling some of their faces as they haul backpacks full of textbooks. Tendou’s thankful he’s never had to mess too much with those, though he figures the weight of art supplies could be comparable.

But hey, art supplies are _waaaay_ more fun than textbooks.

A few more steps and Tendou arrives at the art building, a modest landmark in contrast to the ones surrounding it. Funnily enough, many of the non-art students on campus don’t even know this building exists, making it feel like a super cool secret that only an elite few know about. Tendou always did like that feeling.

He steps through the double doors with ease, greeting the few students he walks by as he heads down the hallway. He knows some of them, has had classes with many of them, but some are newer faces, probably freshman that he hasn’t yet had the opportunity to meet. 

The art building has always felt like a sort of paradise for Tendou, a place where he knows he’s free to say and do things that most establishments would raise an eyebrow at. But strolling through hallways with walls full of messy charcoal drawings, watercolor paintings, and various other projects makes him feel at ease.

Tendou finally arrives at his figure drawing classroom, marked by a door reading ‘NUDE MODEL - PLEASE KNOCK’. He’s early enough that the door is swung open anyway, allowing him entry without a knock. It’s sort of a bummer, since knocking and being allowed in always makes him feel even more like a member of an elite society. Shrugging this off, he skips inside anyway.

This room is one of the more cramped ones in the art building. It sort of reminds Tendou of his elementary school music classroom, in a way. Half of the room is taken up by a fairly short wooden stage, with a short flight of stairs on either side. Scattered across the room, on both the lower level and the stage, are easels, some with pads of newsprint already resting on them. There is, of course, one free area at the very center of the stage, where the models typically stand. Leading off one corner of the stage is a bathroom; this is where the models usually take their breaks or change back into their clothes. Currently, the door is hanging open and unoccupied, which is a bit strange since the models are usually already in their robes way before Tendou gets here.

Slipping through rows of easels on the lower level of the room, Tendou locates his usual spot. The easel is marked up by dried splatters of ink, a few pieces of scotch tape left over from past students holding their projects in place, and pencil shavings dusted across its shelf. Regardless of the mess, Tendou plops his newsprint on the easel’s shelf, flipping through pages of already used paper until he arrives at a clean sheet.

Now left only to wait, Tendou takes a seat on a nearby stool and glances at the clock. Class starts in five minutes and the model isn’t here yet? Washijou isn’t even here? Strange. He’d assume class was cancelled last minute if he didn’t see his peers also sitting around the classroom, staring down at their phones. 

Fiddling with a piece of charcoal, Tendou’s confusion is quickly elevated when he hears someone walk through the door again. 

He’s tall, a bit taller than Tendou, and his choppy olive brown hair hangs down in his face slightly. He’s wearing a sweatshirt with the school’s logo on it, and a pair of black athletic pants. Interesting. Tendou doesn’t recognize this guy _at all_ , doesn’t remember ever seeing him in the hallways. Maybe he’s a freshman? But that can’t be right, freshman don’t take the figure drawing class. Is he a new addition to the class? A transfer student?

Washijou follows behind the stranger, whispering something to him and gesturing towards the stage. Tendou, wishing he had super hearing and was able to listen in on this exchange, watches the stranger nod and climb the stairs up to the stage. It’s only when the guy crosses the wooden platform and enters the bathroom that Tendou understands who he’s supposed to be.

Washijou, now standing in the center of the stage, clears his throat, “We have a new model today. He’ll be added in to the rotation from now on,” without explaining anything more, he delves into his typical spiel, “Today I want you all to work with charcoal. We’re going to start with two minute gesture drawings, move into fives, and then end with tens. Pay attention to -- “

As his professor continues going on about gesture drawing requirements, a talk the class has heard countless times before, the bathroom door gently opens and the olive-haired stranger walks out, dressed in a brown robe. Tendou finds himself unable to focus on what Washijou is saying. Why he’s so interested in this random person he’s never seen or met before today is a bit confusing. 

Regardless, he doesn’t have time to think about it. As a class, figure drawing goes _fast_ , he never has time to think about anything too much. The goal is just to get gestures on the paper, imply movement with a few marks and add things like tension and weight when he has enough time left over. And so, he slips off his stool and stands tall behind his easel, readying his charcoal between steady fingers.

And then the stranger removes his robe.

Tendou’s previously very steady fingers suddenly betray him, dropping his charcoal. It falls to the floor and breaks in half, drawing a whispered curse from between Tendou’s lips. What was that about? Sure, at the start of the semester it felt a bit awkward to stare at a naked person that he doesn’t know, but he’s never had a reaction like _this_ before. 

Between dropping his charcoal and questioning himself, he’s already lost thirty seconds off his two minute gesture drawing, and he has nothing on his paper yet. Soon enough Washijou will be walking around and he’s _not_ going to be happy if Tendou has nothing to show him. 

_Get your shit together_ , Tendou screws his eyes shut for a second, _it’s just a naked person and you’ve drawn them several times before_.

Tendou opens his eyes again, readies his charcoal, and stares right at the model. What the rational part of Tendou’s brain seems to be ignoring is that this is _not_ just a typical naked person. No, definitely not. 

The person standing in front of him absolutely _has_ to be some sort of greek god, Tendou is convinced.

He hasn’t seen musculature like this since… well, since his volleyball days, probably. Even still, it’s more impressive than what he’s seen in the past. It’s very possible that the lighting in this room and the pose he’s standing in, with exaggerated contrapposto, is making his body look more impressive than it actually is, but still. That chest was carved by god himself, there’s no other possible explanation.

“Next pose.”

Washijou’s voice startles Tendou, but he doesn’t drop his charcoal this time. Thankfully, he’d gotten a very basic form on the paper, but two things are painfully obvious: it looks more like a 30 second gesture, and it could never do justice to the sight Tendou is currently staring at. 

The model changes position, extends one arm forward and the opposite leg backwards; another classic that the class has drawn countless times before. 

Even so, Tendou is _still_ struggling. 

With every new pose comes the opportunity to focus on a new, equally impressive, area of this stranger’s body. Tendou suddenly feels incredibly odd; surely focusing so intensely on a stranger’s body would be considered wrong, right? He has to be breaking about ten thousand basic rules of morality --

“Tendou,” Washijou startles him again, except now he’s standing right next to him and staring at a mostly blank piece of paper, “Do you need to change locations?”

Oh no. Tendou’s hand starts to shake as he presses the charcoal into the paper and makes a quick gestural line, “N-Nah!” he sputters, “Just getting back into the groove, y’know? Long weekend!”

“Two minute gestures are _meant_ to get you ‘in the groove’. Work faster,” he steps away, shouting again, “Next pose!”

The first half of class goes a lot like this; the model switches poses every few minutes, and Tendou struggles to fill his paper with anything besides messy lines that he’s painfully aware can’t possibly replicate this impossibly handsome man standing in front of him. Suddenly it seems his strong knowledge of anatomy is betraying him, and Washijou still isn’t impressed.

Before they shift into ten minute drawings, the class takes their typical ten minute break. Tendou quickly takes the opportunity to dart out of the classroom, wanting to avoid any sort of interaction with either his professor or, even worse, the model. Crossing the hallway and stepping into the bathroom, he immediately sighs with relief when he realizes he’s the only one in here. 

He leans over one of the sinks, staring at himself in the mirror with confusion. _What is with you today?_ he thinks, narrowing his eyes. Tendou turns on the water and quickly washes the charcoal debris off his hands. He vaguely wonders how easily he’d be able to pack his things up and just skip class for the day, how sneaky he could be without anyone noticing.

Not that it would matter. Washijou had said this model was going to be added into the rotation for the rest of the semester.

Tendou gives a shaky sigh, splashes a tiny bit of water on his face, and then straightens up in front of the mirror. Extremely attractive model or not, he’s _going_ to go back in that classroom and he’s _going_ to enjoy drawing like he would on any other normal day.

With newfound confidence, he exits the bathroom and returns to his class. There’s still a couple minutes of break left, and thankfully the model is covered by his robe again, talking quietly with Washijou. Tendou distracts himself with his phone, mindlessly scrolling through social media and checking up on his games. 

Soon after, the break is over. In a lucky turn of events, Washijou has decided to bring in draped fabric for their ten minute drawings, effectively covering parts of the model’s body. Tendou does a silent cheer in his head. He’ll miss looking at those gorgeous muscles, but not having them as a distraction? Now he can _really_ focus and impress Washijou.

When class ends and the model has retreated back into the bathroom, Tendou takes the opportunity to hastily pack his things and leave. Generally, the class is supposed to hang up their newest work in the hallway, but he doesn’t even stick around for that. Would the model stay after to look at things? Or try to have a conversation with some of the students? Some of their models do. It’s way too risky.

So, as he heads home with charcoal still covering his hands, Tendou makes a silent promise to himself.

_This will not turn into anything. This will not get bigger. This will not occupy his thoughts late at night while he’s trying to sleep. This will not turn into a crush on a beautiful stranger._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all again for reading! Please feel free to reach out to me on twitter, I'd be honored if you wanted to talk to me! (esp about ushiten, tendou, or shiratorizawa in general!) ♡
> 
> art twitter: [tendouaf](http://www.twitter.com/tendouaf)  
> twitter: [ushitentxt](http://www.twitter.com/ushitentxt) (I'm mostly active here right now! Please come talk to me~)  
> tumblr: [tendou-satori](http://www.tendou-satori.tumblr.com)  
> art blog: [kat-doodles](http://www.kat-doodles.tumblr.com)
> 
> And! If you haven't yet, check out my wonderful partner for this project!  
> twitter: [Kai_GRT](https://twitter.com/Kai_GRT)  
> tumblr: [kaigrt](https://kaigrt.tumblr.com/)  
> 


	2. Chapter 2

Unsurprisingly, it _does_ turn into a crush on a beautiful stranger.

Tendou isn’t sure if that harsh realization comes to him on his own or not, but it’s definitely confirmed as soon as he meets with his friends for coffee the following day. Friends that he’s known for years, friends that know him better than most anyone else… friends that he can’t hide anything from, especially when his overly expressive face gives everything away the second he starts jabbering.

Out of all the people Tendou’s had a chance to meet on campus, Kawanishi Taichi, Semi Eita, and Goshiki Tsutomu have always been what he’d call his ‘best friends’. It’s difficult to remember how he even met all of them, though he assumes it helps that they’re all in arts programs. All he knows is that it feels like they’ve been friends for much longer than they actually have.

Kawanishi wasn’t someone he’d expected to get close to, but the music major, despite being fiercely blunt and less than energetic, has always held a special place in Tendou’s heart. Even if his advice is harshly honest and his wit is much quicker than Tendou’s. Semi Eita, an interesting guy with absolutely trash fashion sense (in Tendou’s very accurate opinion) had previously been a cosmetology student, but transferred here to study interior design after completing his first degree. Tendou’s almost positive that they met because of the countless times he’d eyed Semi with amusement at his clothing choices; it’s likely he had asked Semi if he even owned a light in his house, and well, the rest is history. The final member of this trio of wonderful people, Goshiki Tsutomu, is a theater major with a super cool bowl cut and a smile that could charm the pants off even the most grumpy person in the entire world, Tendou’s sure of it. He’s easily the most innocent of the group and often finds himself blushing profusely or staring wide-eyed at the conversation topics that come up among his older peers, but despite that, he fits in the group perfectly and Tendou loves his company.

As usual, Tendou meets his friends halfway to the small and slightly hidden cafe, exchanging quick ‘hello’s with all of them as they rush towards the smell of coffee beans and tuck their personal updates away for later. As is typical for most days when they meet up, the cafe is empty except for the short barista greeting them with a warm smile and wide eyes. With the knowledge of every single one of their typical orders, she’s already set to work getting their coffee ready as they line up behind the register.

Still attempting to wrap his head around the events of yesterday and creating an inner monologue in his mind in an attempt to plan how he’ll explain it without sounding too obvious, Tendou stands at the end of the line. He almost doesn’t even notice when it’s his turn to order and pay. 

“Hello, Tendou! The usual?” the barista, an absolute ray of sunshine named Yachi Hitoka, asks in her usual sweet voice.

“Yacchan~” Tendou sing-songs, “Yep, the usual!”

Coffee cup already in hand, Yachi sets to work after one more question, “Including the extra shot of espresso?”

“Make it two,” Tendou quickly decides, assuming he’ll need the extra shot of energy after a nearly sleepless night last night.

Yachi gives him a slightly concerned look but delivers anyway, now talking slightly louder over the hissing of the steamer, “Late night?”

“Ah,” Tendou pauses, wondering what gave it away. The even more intense eye bags or the extra unruly hair? Probably both. “You could say that! Y’know how it is, lots of projects and stuff, plus only being productive in the evenings… such is the life of an art student,” he laughs.

Finishing up his coffee, Yachi places the cup in front of him and knits her eyebrows together, “Still, you should take care of yourself, Tendou.”

“Noted~” Tendou winks and whips out his card, paying for his coffee and thanking Yachi once more after taking a sip of the delicious drink.

His three friends have saved his usual spot for him, a window seat at a table for four near the back of the small cafe. Tendou takes a seat and immediately sighs, leaning back with both hands resting behind his head, lifting his chair slightly off it’s front two legs, making a point to look as relaxed and unbothered as possible...

“What’s your deal?” Kawanishi is the first to speak, sipping calmly from his own hot cup and raising one questioning eyebrow, “Get laid or something?”

Tendou, and his chair, topple forwards with a harsh scuffing sound against the wooden floor. His hands collide with the table and he stares wide-eyed at Kawanishi, “What?!”

“Dunno,” he shrugs, a tiny and annoyingly amused smile crosses his lips, “Just wondered what was up with the way you sat down just now. Felt kinda…”

“...Overdone,” Semi, from his spot right across from Tendou, agrees, “Like you have something exciting to talk about but don’t want to come out and say it.”

“Wha -- !” Tendou looks back and forth from Kawanishi to Semi, then finally turns to look next to him at a visibly confused Goshiki.

“Relax,” Kawanishi laughs, waving a hand in front of him, “I’m just fucking with you. Something _is_ up, though,” he takes another sip.

Tendou neither confirms nor denies; just simply stares at his friends as they fall back into regular, normal conversation. So his attempts at looking extra relaxed are failing… okay, fine. He’ll just have to hope he can keep his mouth shut for long enough that his brain won’t let him spill the beans about that gorgeous stranger yesterday with the amazing muscles and the sharp cheekbones and the perfectly sculpted --

“Satori,” Goshiki is staring at Tendou, looking extremely concerned, “you’re sweating, are you okay?!”

“Fine!” Tendou blurts, accidently pushing his coffee cup a few inches in front of him, “I’m fine, coffee’s just really hot!”

Based on both Semi and Kawanishi’s current expressions, they aren’t buying it.

“Ah! Okay!” Goshiki nods.

Well, at least one of them is buying this act. Tendou takes another long sip of coffee, focusing on the burning sensation in his throat. Hot. But not as hot as --

Tendou curses his own brain. Now is _not_ the time.

“So,” Semi coughs, breaking up the awkward silence. Generally it’s Tendou blabbering on and on and filling their meetings with conversation, but today that just isn’t the case, “How are classes going?”

“Good!” Goshiki quickly answers, sharing some news about how his singing lessons are going extremely well and his instructor is proud of his progress, then ends with a declaration that he’ll for sure get the lead role in the next theater production on campus.

Kawanishi’s news is lackluster in energy, as it typically is. He’s knee-deep in music theory homework and not exactly looking forward to having to finish all of it. And Semi? Not much news there either. He’s currently designing three interior rooms with a team of two other people and, according to him, ‘so far so good’.

“Satori?” Semi directs his attention to the person across from him, “Anything new?”

“Ah.. nope,” Tendou answers smoothly, immediately internally patting himself on the back.

Semi nods, takes a sip of coffee, then continues, “I saw the model walk out of your classroom yesterday. Didn’t recognize him but I’m guessing most students don’t walk around wearing robes,” he laughs.

Tendou gulps, “Oh! Yeah, that’s,” he directs his eyes to the window, focusing on the students passing by, “our new model. Dunno his name. What was he doing in the hallway?”

“Uh,” Semi blinks, clearly taken aback slightly by the sudden question, “I wasn’t watching his every move, I was just passing by. I think he may have been looking at the art in the hallway?”

“Probably just going for an afternoon stroll to feel the breeze between his knees,” Kawanishi mumbles sarcastically, earning him a gentle jab to the side from Semi’s elbow.

“Um, Satori,” Goshiki says, just above a whisper, leaning closer to Tendou, “the models in your class… do they, um, actually wear nothing? Not even underwear?”

_This is not the time this is not the time this is not the time…_

Tendou takes a moment to calm himself, even as he sees the images from yesterday flooding back to his brain… those chiseled abs… his piercing eyes…the strong thighs...

“Yeah, Tsutomu,” Semi answers in Tendou’s place, “it makes it easier for them to see the musculature of everything.”

“Oh,” Goshiki is blushing, and Tendou wishes he wasn’t trying so hard to suppress his own blush, “that’s awkward!” he looks at Tendou, lowering his voice again, “Do you really look at those places a lot?”

Now, if Tendou had his way, he’d be pushing away from the table as this very moment, grabbing his things, and darting out of the door. But as he looks up and meets his friends’ stares, he’s able to recognize that he’s lost this battle. He sighs again, throws his head back for a few seconds, and then swings it back up only to rest it on the table in front of him.

“Alright, ya’ got me.”

“So you _did_ get laid,” Kawanishi immediately says, smirking.

“No!” Tendou counters, now crossing his arms and resting them on the table as well. He places his chin firmly on them and explains, “I did not get laid, Taichi. But that model from yesterday? I wouldn’t mind if --”

“Satori!” Semi interrupts, despite them being the only ones in here besides Yachi, who’s currently standing behind the register and slightly blushing, “Really?”

“I’m just being honest! I don’t know his name or his story but _damn_ if he’s not the most gorgeous human being I’ve probably ever seen. ...‘Course, I’m not even convinced he’s human. It’s just not possible.”

“Um,” Yachi clears her throat, waving slightly from behind the register, “can I say something?”

“‘Course, Yachi,” Semi confirms.

“I think I know who you’re talking about, Tendou. There’s a biology student who comes in here some mornings. He came in yesterday and when I asked him his plans for the day he mentioned getting to model for a figure drawing class. Could that be him?”

Well. Considering there’s only one figure drawing class on campus and yesterday _was_ the day that Tendou saw this god in person, that has to be him. 

“That would be him, Yacchan.”

“Ah, well!” Yachi smiles, warm and bright, “He’s very nice! And he’s definitely human! His name is Ushijima Wakatoshi, he likes his coffee plain and simple and he always tips really nice. Oh! And he’s a volleyball player!”

_An athlete. Of course he is._

Tendou groans and pushes his forehead against the sleeves of his thick knitted sweater.

“Why are you so worked up?” Semi asks, gently poking Tendou’s head, “I haven’t seen you like this before.”

“He’s _in love_ , Eita,” Kawanishi says in a stupid cheeky voice that makes Tendou swing his head up again.

“I’m not!” Tendou denies, “I don’t even know the guy! He’s just… really hot. But that means nothing!”

“Doesn’t _have_ to mean nothing,” Semi leans back in his chair, folding his arms against his chest and shrugging, “if you like the guy then you should talk to him.”

Tendou gapes at Semi. Is he insane? If he’d seen this man with his own two eyes, _then_ he would know.

“Y’don’t get it, Eita. We’re talking about a greek god. I am but a mere peasant compared to this perfect specimen.”

“I hate the way you’re talking right now,” Kawanishi mumbles before taking another sip of coffee.

“Eita’s right!” Goshiki chimes in, leaning closer to Tendou and nearly falling out of his seat, “You should talk to him! You like him! And you’re super cool, he’d be crazy to turn you away! And, if he does, then that’s just rude, and you shouldn’t like him anyway!”

Tendou twiddles his thumbs. Well. Clearly he’s got the full support of two of his three best friends. He eyes Kawanishi, who stares back at him with his usual neutral expression.

“Greek god or not, you haven’t dated anyone or had a crush in a long time, Satori. I say go for it.”

 _Dammit._ He’d hoped that at least Kawanishi would talk him out of this highly risky attempt at love. At least, it _feels_ risky. But his friends’ words and support make him feel a little less scared. 

After all, it _has_ been a long time since he’s even been asked out or asked someone out himself. He could use something like that right now, probably.

“Fine,” Tendou gives in, tension leaving his shoulders, “Fine! I’ll talk to him. Unless! I die from a heart attack tomorrow. You can’t blame me if that happens after staring too long at his impressive --”

“We get it!” Semi interrupts again, laughing slightly, “Can we talk about something else?”

The group falls into laughter, and for now, Tendou’s forgets about his silly little crush and enjoys his time with his best friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please feel free to reach out to me on twitter, I'd be honored if you wanted to talk to me! (esp about ushiten, tendou, or shiratorizawa in general!) ♡
> 
> art twitter: [tendouaf](http://www.twitter.com/tendouaf)  
> twitter: [ushitentxt](http://www.twitter.com/ushitentxt) (I'm mostly active here right now! Please come talk to me~)  
> tumblr: [tendou-satori](http://www.tendou-satori.tumblr.com)  
> art blog: [kat-doodles](http://www.kat-doodles.tumblr.com)
> 
> And! If you haven't yet, check out my wonderful partner for this project!  
> twitter: [Kai_GRT](https://twitter.com/Kai_GRT)  
> tumblr: [kaigrt](https://kaigrt.tumblr.com/)  
> 


	3. Chapter 3

The next day, Tendou wakes up earlier than usual, attempting to make himself look extra presentable for the inevitable moment when he speaks to literal walking perfection after class.

Well, he tries, anyway.

After spending way too long debating on which shirt to wear, he finally closes his eyes and blindly chooses, landing on a bright green hoodie with a repeating star pattern. Well, it’s probably better than the neon purple and blue striped one. But what if Ushijima hates the color green? What if he doesn’t like hoodies? Wait, what?! Who doesn’t like _hoodies_?!

Tendou closes his eyes and shakes his head. Maybe this is why he doesn’t get crushes on people way out of his league, he just turns into an absolute overthinking disaster.

Black jeans with rolled up cuffs to reveal mint green socks and black converse finish off his outfit. He slightly regrets waking up early, considering he doesn’t look much different than he typically would on any other day. Sure, his hair is meticulously styled this time, tufts pointed at exactly the right angles, but he doubts anyone would even notice that.

Tendou leaves his apartment with high hopes and even higher nerves. The walk to campus and to class goes quicker than usual, and as he takes a seat in his usual spot it doesn’t take long for him to notice Ushijima sitting cross-legged in the center of the room, intently staring at a textbook in his lap.

He can’t see the subject matter, but Tendou assumes it has something to do with biology, based on what he’d learned from Yachi just yesterday. Somehow the fact that he’s taking his free time to study instead of staring at his phone is extremely endearing to Tendou.

But wait… he does have a phone, right? Oh no. Tendou suddenly worries that maybe this guy doesn’t have a cell phone and, as a result, won’t have a number to give Tendou. Is it possible that this plan is already failing? Is it already time to abort mission? Tendou tugs nervously at one of his hoodie strings.

As if sensing that he’s being stared at, Ushijima looks up from his book and directly in Tendou’s direction, blinking his gorgeous brown eyes a few times before softly smiling. 

_Shit._ Tendou’s eyes widen and he immediately looks away. He’d had the perfect opportunity to smile back and he’d ruined it. But how could he possibly flash his own wobbly smile at something like _that?_ Something so stunning and cute and --

His thoughts come to a halt as Washijou walks in. He steps over to Ushijima, informing him that he should get changed since class starts in five minutes. Tendou doesn’t look over to watch, but he hears the soft ‘ok’ and the closing of a textbook.

Great. Class hasn’t even _started_ yet and he’s already sweating. How can someone have that much power over him? How can someone be that beautiful? Maybe he should leave class before it starts… he still has three free absences to use…

No. He stays rooted in his seat and replays the words of his friends from yesterday. He’s got this. According to Goshiki, he’s cool and nice. And if Ushijima can’t see that then that’s _his_ problem!

When Ushijima walks out of the back room, Tendou gulps. All he can see are his calves under the robe, but he’s already struggling. But he’ll stay strong, he promises himself. Throughout the entirety of class, he replays his friends’ compliments in his head, _and_ he manages to get good gestures done every single time!

Feeling like a real winner already, Tendou takes his time packing his things. Washijou is eyeing him, probably confused since he’s usually one of the first to leave. Tendou tries not to be _too_ obvious… though on second thought, purposely spilling his pencil case no less than three times is _probably_ overkill.

Regardless, that works. He’s the last one to leave the class, _and_ the last one to walk over to their assigned section in the hallway, ready to hang up his best gesture from the day.

As he thought, Ushijima, now fully dressed in his school sweater and blue jeans, is standing near that very section, staring intently at the works on the wall that are very clearly of his own naked body. Tendou’s always wondered how awkward that must be, to see others’ renditions of your own form; guess he gets to find out, right now.

With nervous footsteps, he gets closer and closer to the wall, carefully and slowly hanging up a twenty minute gesture drawing mostly focused on Ushijima’s upper body. As far as detailing goes, he’d stopped just short of Ushijima’s waist and just below his jaw line. He eyes it for a few seconds, takes a deep breath, and then slowly steps back until he’s standing right next to Ushijima.

_Don’t look at him, don’t look at him, don’t look at him…_

“Whaddya think?”

Wow. Tendou’s brain seems to have offered up one of the more awkward questions it could have possibly asked. Why not ‘come here often?’ or ‘appreciate letting me look at your body’.

… Okay, so maybe ‘whaddya think’ _isn’t_ so bad.

“What do I think?” Ushijima echoes, voice low and smooth and perfect in Tendou’s ears.

“Y-yeah!” Tendou sputters, glancing over at Ushijima to make sure he’s not staring at him with a confused look, “Like… about this,” he gestures to the wall, “the art. I figure you must be thinkin’ something if you’re looking at it.”

“Ah,” Ushijima goes quiet for a moment, standing still and regal as a statue, “I don’t have many thoughts, I suppose.”

Oh. Oh no. Tendou chances another glance at Ushijima, suddenly concerned that he’s one of those non-art students that questions the value and validity of art as a concept. If that’s the case, Tendou knows for a fact this crush will fade away overnight, or faster.

“I enjoy art,” Ushijima finally says, shooing Tendou’s fears away, “I’m just not sure if I have many thoughts about it. I am more impressed by it than anything.”

 _Phew_. Tendou smiles and softly laughs, “Gotcha. Ever tried it?”

“I have,” Ushijima answers, still standing still and staring straight ahead, “in high school, and probably before that in elementary school. However, it wasn’t a strength of mine. Probably more of a weakness.”

Tendou laughs again, then feels slightly guilty. Ushijima doesn’t look fazed, though. Actually, Tendou notices that he’s having a much easier time looking at him now that they’re speaking like normal human beings. So maybe he _is_ human after all…

Still debatable.

“What brought you here, then?” Tendou asks, genuinely curious, “Most of the students at this university don’t even know the art building exists.”

“A flyer in the gymnasium. It said that help was needed for a figure drawing class.”

Makes sense. Tendou nods, “Oh! Neat. So you work out a lot?”

_Wow. Again with the weird questions._

“I do,” Ushijima answers, still unfazed and fixated on the art in front of him, “I am on the volleyball team, so it’s necessary for my body to be in peak form.”

 _Don’t have to tell me twice,_ Tendou thinks, reminded once again of what lies beneath that school sweater.

“Really? I played volleyball in elementary!” Tendou declares, smiling wide.

That seems to grab Ushijima’s attention. He peels his eyes away from the wall and instead turns to look at Tendou, curiosity filling his eyes.

“Well, I wasn’t serious or anything,” Tendou laughs, nervously reaching to play with the hair at the nape of his neck, “but it was fun! My parents thought I’d for sure go pro someday, but art kinda took priority for me.”

“I see,” Ushijima nods once, looks at the wall again, and then gestures to Tendou’s piece, “this is yours?”

“Yep,” Tendou thinks his voice shakes slightly, but he ignores that, “sure is.”

“It’s very good. You are very talented.”

Oh, now he’s blushing. He doesn’t even have to look in a mirror to know that.

“Ah, thanks! Definitely helps when you’ve got a good model!”

Thankfully, that comment doesn’t come across too weird, judging by Ushijima’s tiny smile.

“Thank you,” Ushijima looks at Tendou again, “I was warned by Washijou that it is quite difficult. I didn’t realize how right he was until two days ago. However, I am glad to hear you think I’m doing well.”

Tendou laughs, “Yeah, I definitely wouldn’t be able to stand still that long, I’m way too fidgety. It’s definitely a skill! Put that on your resume,” he jokes.

Ushijima’s eyes fill with curiosity again, “I’ll have to ask my advisor if that is appropriate resume material.”

The genuineness in that statement… Tendou’s heart skips a beat. Not only is this guy incredibly beautiful, but he’s _ridiculously_ charming and sweet too… 

They stand in silence for a moment, both staring at the wall of art. Tendou briefly wonders how long Ushijima stays after to look at art. His genuine interest in it is only furthering Tendou’s little crush, making him even more desperate to learn more about this guy and dig inside his brain.

“Do you like coffee?”

It’s the only question Tendou’s brain is offering up, but he’s desperate to inch his way towards getting Ushijima’s number before the guy inevitably leaves the building.

“Coffee?” Ushijima asks, once again looking at Tendou with curiosity.

“Yeah!” Tendou shrugs, “Y’know, brown liquid that tastes like heaven, especially when you add an extra shot of espresso and a _toooon_ of cream and sugar.”

“I’m aware of what coffee is.”

Of course. Tendou inwardly curses himself.

“Ah -- yeah! Of course, sorry!” he laughs nervously, “I just -- y’know, kinda wanted to ask if, uh, I mean -- ”

“Are you asking me out for coffee?” Ushijima asks bluntly, expression unchanging despite how awkward this entire exchange is.

How is he not bothered? At all? Has he been asked out enough times to recognize when it’s happening?

“Oh!” Tendou bites his bottom lip for a moment, “Well, yeah! I just hadn't gotten to that part yet. But yes! We should, uh, get coffee! Definitely!”

“I see,” Ushijima pauses, then nods once again, “What was your name?”

_Geez. He hasn’t even introduced himself yet._

“Tendou! Tendou Satori! Satori’s just fine, if ya want! But if not then Tendou’s fine too! You can call me whatever you want!” he can feel himself shaking, and he knows his voice probably is too, “What was yours?”

“I’m Ushijima Wakatoshi. As for the coffee, I would like that, Tendou. Perhaps you can show me more of your artwork.”

Oh boy. Oh boy! Tendou’s heart races and threatens to burst straight out of his chest, “Yeah! If ya want, that’d be neat! I got a ton of sketchbooks full of stuff!”

“I’d be interested to see. Should we exchange numbers?”

In an incredible turn of events, Tendou has successfully acquired Ushijima’s number. And, in an even _more_ incredible turn of events, it’s not even _Tendou_ that’s asked to exchange them, but _Ushijima himself!_

Needless to say, it takes mere seconds for Tendou to pull out his phone and save Ushijima in his contacts. Ushijima does the same, confirming he has the correct number before sliding it back into his pocket.

“I will message you my schedule, and we can plan accordingly,” Ushijima states, sounding like a middle-aged parent, but still making Tendou’s heart flutter uncontrollably.

“Cool! Same! I’ll text you, then!” Tendou replies enthusiastically.

Moments later, they’re parting ways. Tendou’s face is as red as his hair and his cheeks feel as hot as the sun, but he’s smiling like the happiest man alive and he feels like he could probably do a dance in this very hallway.

He doesn’t. Instead, he’s interrupted by a dinging noise from his phone. When he pulls it out, he sees a single message from Semi.

Eita  
  
Just saw that impressively not awkward conversation from my classroom. Nice job. ;)  
  


**\-----**

With his weekly meeting with his friends being several days away, Tendou uses his spare time wisely. Well, it could be considered ‘wisely’ if his goal is to get to know the handsome volleyball playing biology student as much as possible before actually having coffee with him in a week. Truthfully, his sights should be set on his class projects.

But the heart wants what the heart wants, and currently, Tendou’s heart definitely wants to get closer to Ushijima Wakatoshi.

He’d left the art building after getting his number with a lot of confidence and encouragement. Course, he’d waited until later that night to _actually_ text Ushijima, just so he wouldn’t look too clingy.

However, he’d quickly realized after just a few days and several exchanges over text that this… was much different than his conversation with Ushijima in the hallway.

Not only does Ushijima type with _perfect_ grammar and spelling, but he also doesn’t understand what kaomojis are. _Yeah._ As soon as he’s received a simple ‘?’ in response to a particularly cute smiling face, Tendou supposes he’s found Ushijima’s one tiny flaw, hidden beneath his perfect manners, kind heart, and incredible physique.

Ushijima  
  
Hello Tendou. I am free a week from today. Would you like to get coffee that evening? Is 5pm okay?  
  
sure thing~! where do ya wanna meet?  
  
I’d prefer the corner cafe that is relatively hidden, just next to the recreation building. It is usually empty and quiet. Do you know of it?  
  
yep! sounds good!  
  
I will see you then.  
  
(￣▽￣)b  
  
?  
  
lol! it's a smiling face! with a thumbs up!  
  
I don't understand, but okay.  
  


It stings, but he can get past it. He’ll just have to teach him.

Regardless, the meetup is a week away and Tendou is looking forward to meeting with his friends a couple days beforehand. Surely another shot of praise from Goshiki will lift his confidence once again, even Kawanishi’s sarcastic comments won’t be enough to stop that.

“Did you talk to him?” Yachi is asking as she prepares Tendou’s coffee.

Tendou smirks, “Maaaaaybe.”

Yachi gives him a warm, knowing smile and hands him his coffee.

Ushijima and Tendou will be meeting up in this very spot in just two days, and though Tendou would prefer if anyone who knows him _weren’t_ in very close proximity when that happens, he trusts Yachi more than he’d trust most people.

Hell, if he knew how to brew a love potion, he’d probably ask her to slip some in Ushijima’s coffee. But somehow he doubts she’d be the type to do something like that.

As Tendou sits in his usual spot, Kawanishi is already ready with the question, “Get laid yet?”

“No!” Tendou shakes his head, laughing slightly at the sarcasm practically dripping from Kawanishi’s mouth, “But I _did_ get something else~”

He’d previously felt his phone buzz in his pocket while ordering coffee. With faith that it’s a text from Ushijima himself, he slips his phone from his pocket and lays it on the table for his friends to look at. Tendou bristles with pride; they sure are gonna be impressed.

“‘Today only! Buy one get one free 6” sub.’” Goshiki reads out loud, eyes wide, “That’s a really good deal!”

Oh. Tendou hastily grabs his phone. Sure enough, the text must have been from one of the eateries on campus, not Ushijima Wakatoshi.

“So… you got a coupon from the sub sandwich place?” Kawanishi asks, the beginnings of a laugh already present in his unimpressed voice.

“I thought -- ” Tendou starts, but puts his phone back on the table and shakes his head, “Listen, I got Ushijima’s number. I thought that was him texting me. Had this cool thing in my head where you all saw a text from him and then erupted into applause, then I took a bow and -- Anyway! Point is, I got his number. And! We’re getting coffee in two days.”

“Wah!” Goshiki’s eyes light up and his hair almost appears to puff up with excitement too, “Cool! I knew you could do it!” his voice lowers slightly, just above a whisper, “Satori is so cool…”

There it is. One of Tendou’s favorite things about Goshiki. He smiles back at him and reaches over to ruffle his hair, “Thanks, Tsutomu~”

“Is this real?” Kawanishi asks, slightly sarcastic but also with a tinge of seriousness.

“It is,” Semi nods, “I saw it happen while sitting in class. I have a direct view of the hallway from out the window, and they were definitely talking and exchanging numbers.”

“Well done,” Kawanishi smiles, “I hope it goes well. Don’t spill your coffee on yourself. Or drink it when it’s too hot.”

At least part of that was nice.

“It’ll go well,” Semi gives Tendou his vote of confidence, “you guys seemed to get along great, I think you’ll have a good time. Just don’t stress out too much, be yourself.”

“Yeah, yeah, I got this!” Tendou declares, waving his hand in the air.

Well. He _hopes_ he’s got this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please feel free to reach out to me on twitter, I'd be honored if you wanted to talk to me! (esp about ushiten, tendou, or shiratorizawa in general!) ♡
> 
> art twitter: [tendouaf](http://www.twitter.com/tendouaf)  
> twitter: [ushitentxt](http://www.twitter.com/ushitentxt) (I'm mostly active here right now! Please come talk to me~)  
> tumblr: [tendou-satori](http://www.tendou-satori.tumblr.com)  
> art blog: [kat-doodles](http://www.kat-doodles.tumblr.com)
> 
> And! If you haven't yet, check out my wonderful partner for this project!  
> twitter: [Kai_GRT](https://twitter.com/Kai_GRT)  
> tumblr: [kaigrt](https://kaigrt.tumblr.com/)  
> 


	4. Chapter 4

As the fateful day gets closer, Tendou starts to wonder more and more if he really does in fact ‘got this’.

He’s accumulated a large number of sketchbooks over the last few years, most of which were never finished and instead tossed aside as soon as he’d found a new candidate. Should he bring the one with all the animal sketches? The plants? Maybe the one with most of his gesture drawings done on the go? It’s impossible to choose, so instead, he just shoves them all in his backpack.

The next hurdle is figuring out what to wear. Though honestly, it doesn’t seem like Ushijima’s been too focused on any of his outfits, nor does he seem to have even strong opinions on them. At least, none that he’s said to Tendou anyway. _Be yourself_ , that’s what Semi had said. And well, even if he didn’t want to, he wouldn’t have much of a choice. His closet is an absolute rainbow of patterns and prints and bright colors that most likely burn his peers’ eyes.

Tendou opts not to worry too much about this part, given that Ushijima’s style isn’t exactly winning any awards or breaking any boundaries. He’s a school spirit and comfort kind of guy, as far as Tendou can tell. And hey, there’s nothing wrong with that. 

After digging through half his closet and weighing his several options, the top he chooses is a loose-fitting black cable knit sweater with a boat neckline and a purposely unfinished and slightly ratty hemline. It’s darker than what he usually wears, but he’s sure the teal colored jeans he’s paired with it make up for that entirely. And, as usual, he’s rolled the cuffs up just enough to reveal black socks with white polka-dots, as well as his signature black converse. 

All it takes is a quick shower and a slightly more meticulous hair styling session in his bathroom for him to stand back in front of the mirror and nod slowly with renewed confidence. He looks good! At least, he thinks he does anyway. It’s possible Ushijima won’t even be looking at him in that way, since they’re really just getting coffee and that’s it. But still.

If there’s any possibility that he could steal Ushijima’s heart, then Tendou wants to take it, and then run with it in his polka-dot socks.

As he walks to campus, messenger bag full of sketchbooks slung over his shoulder, the nerves start to come back again. Is he sweating? He _really_ doesn’t want to be sweating right now. Good thing he’d slathered on deodorant as if it was the last time he’d ever be able to apply it. Did he overdo it? Will the scent, partnered with his cheap body spray, be too much or too strong? Will Ushijima pass out from the fumes alone?

Tendou shakes his head. Now he’s just being silly. Of course that won’t happen! Ushijima’s lungs are probably just as strong as his thighs and his biceps.

Nearing the cafe, Tendou takes a moment to make sure his jeans are still equally rolled up, his wide neckline is centered properly on his shoulders, and his hair hasn’t gotten flat somehow. Check, check, and check. 

With a deep breath, he enters the cafe.

Sure enough, Ushijima is seated at a table for two near the front of the cafe, poring over a biology textbook while his hand scribbles notes in a spiral notebook. Tendou thinks to himself for a moment, hoping that the only ‘straight’ Ushijima is is straight from the heavens above. Ushijima briefly looks up, spots Tendou, and begins putting his things away.

“Hello, Tendou,” he says, standing to bow in greeting before gesturing towards the chair across from him, “I’ve already ordered your coffee, it should be here soon.”

“You -- “ Tendou stands still for a moment, heart already pounding and knees already weak, “Oh!” he comes back to his senses, quickly sitting down and moving to pull his wallet out of his bag, “You didn’t have to do that, what do I owe you?”

“Not necessary,” Ushijima shakes his head, placing his backpack on the floor and resting his hands in his lap, “I apologize if I got your order wrong, I went off of what you previously said in the art building the other day.”

 _Oh my god_. Tendou has to be blushing, how could be _not_ be? Ushijima remembered how he likes his coffee? Found it important enough to put that information away to use for later?

“Ah -- Well, thanks! I got you next time, ‘kay?” he offers, crossing his fingers that there _will_ be a next time.

Ushijima nods, smiles softly. 

Seconds later, Yachi is carefully carrying two full coffee cups to their table, grinning, “Here’s your coffee! Let me know if I can get you both anything else.”

“Thank you, Yachi,” Ushijima says, taking a small sip of his beverage and confirming that it tastes great.

Before she steps away, Yachi shoots Tendou a tiny wink, a silent declaration of ‘good luck’, he thinks. Bless her heart.

“Yachi informed me that you come here with friends every week,” Ushijima notes, staring straight ahead at Tendou with those beautiful brown eyes peeking behind uneven olive brown bangs just long enough to barely cover his eyebrows.

Geez, it should be illegal for someone to be this beautiful.

“Mhmm!” Tendou nods, nervously fiddling with his coffee cup but maintaining eye contact with Ushijima, “It’s our favorite place to go. Never busy. Plus Yacchan is great company too!”

“Yacchan?”

“Uh -- yeah! That’s what I call Yachi, just sort of a fun nickname, I like nicknames,” Tendou explains.

“I see,” Ushijima pauses, “do you like Yachi?”

Oh no! Was he giving the wrong vibe? Tendou internally panics for a moment, expressing it outwardly as a loud laugh, “Yeah, but like… just as a friend! She’s cute but like in that little sister kinda way, where you just wanna protect her from all the evil things in the world. But nah, I don’t… y’know.”

“Okay,” Ushijima nods, and Tendou thinks he senses a small amount of relief on his face, “In any case, she is cute. I must admit, if I did get your order wrong, it’s likely that she was able to fix it, given that she knows what you usually get.”

“Ah, no worries,” Tendou waves the comment off, “I’m just impressed you remembered what I said! Most people don’t pay attention to passing details like that.”

“I felt it was important. If I’m taking up your time I want to make sure not to waste your time with incorrect coffee orders. I’d rather spend that time with conversation and good company.”

 _Oh he’s so cute… and so incredibly polite…_ Tendou’s eyebrows knit together and he gives an extra wobbly smile, “That’s sweet. Trust me, though, you aren’t ‘taking up my time’. I really wanted to meet up!”

“As did I,” Ushijima gives another smile, “I’m quite intrigued by you.”

Tendou’s heart _definitely_ just skipped a beat, maybe two. Thankfully he wasn’t holding his coffee, otherwise he fears he probably would have fumbled and spilt it everywhere.

“O-Oh… why’s that?” he asks, biting his lower lip to control his smile from getting too big.

“Your art is particularly interesting to look at. I apologize, I don’t know the proper terminology,” Ushijima looks pensive, “but I enjoy looking at your shading methods, and the variation in your lines. There’s a lot of emotion in your work. And I am quite amused by your face while you’re focused and working in class, if I’m honest. You usually stick your tongue out just a bit.”

Tendou is honestly speechless. Okay, so it seems Ushijima’s mostly intrigued by his work and not so much _him_ , but he’ll take it. And the fact that Ushijima’s looked at him during class? And remembered that detail? Impressive. And very cute. The compliments mean a lot to him and make him want to reach across the table and hug this guy he barely knows.

“Geez, thanks... I…” he reaches for his messenger bag, “brought more, if you wanna see it! Got a few sketchbooks with different stuff. Animals, plants, people, buildings… you name it, I got it.”

It’s almost like Ushijima’s dark eyes light up at the mention plants. He doesn’t really give a verbal answer, but Tendou takes that as one anyway. He shuffles through the books in his bag, finally landing on an older one full of sketches he’d done at a botanical garden nearby.

“This one’s kinda old, probably from early last year,” he says, tossing the leather-bound and scuffed book on the table, “but it’s got a lot of plant sketches in it! Have you been to that botanical garden like thirty minutes away from campus?”

Eagerly reaching for the sketchbook, Ushijima opens to a random page full of messy imagery of lilies, “I have not.”

“Oh, seriously?” Tendou is a bit surprised, “I figured a biology major would be there quite a bit since, y’know, that’s kinda your thing.”

“I’m new to campus, just transferred this semester,” Ushijima explains, staring intently at the page in front of him before turning it to another spread of flowers, “I was not aware of this botanical garden.”

“Ah! Well, you should go sometime! It’s really neat!”

“I should,” he lifts his eyes to stare at Tendou for a moment, smiling, “thank you for telling me about it.”

As Ushijima pores over the wide array of sketches in Tendou’s notebook, the latter quietly sips his coffee. Every so often, Ushijima will make a small comment about particularly liking an image, but he stays mostly silent as he admires the work. He’s much more of a silent observer when it comes to art, Tendou’s noticed. Which he doesn’t mind, really, it’s just so much different than most of his peers and professors who are always ready with critiques and general comments.

Honestly, the quiet appreciation is a nice change. Calming, really. Tendou could get used to this.

“I’d be interested to see the subject matter in real life, alongside these sketches,” Ushijima states after several minutes of flipping through the book, “I assume the garden is closed during the fall?”

“Yeah, bummer, huh?” Tendou frowns, taking a sip from his nearly-empty coffee, “It’ll be open again next spring.”

Ushijima nods, appears thoughtful for a moment and then stares directly at Tendou again, “Will you still be here? Attending this school?”

“Hm? Yeah!” Tendou leans forwards, taking the sketchbook back and closing it. Ushijima had nearly reached the end anyway, “I don’t graduate for another year.”

“I see.”

Silence fills the air. Tendou wants to ask a question, his brain is beating against his skull, begging him to come out and say it.

“We could, uh,” he pauses, tugging at the hem of his sweater, “go to the garden next spring if you want? I could give you a tour, let you watch me sketch some stuff. Then in return you can tell me _allllll_ about the flowers and plants and stuff. Cause I don’t really know anything about them, I just draw ‘em. That’s probably more your expertise, huh?”

Ushijima smiles. It’s still small but it’s the biggest smile he’s seen from him so far, “I would like that.”

This whole exchange feels so unreal. Tendou briefly wonders if he’s dreaming right now, if none of this is real and he’s actually fast asleep. A date with a guy like this could never go _this_ well for him, right? How in the world is this happening? How has he already snagged _another_ date for the future? With little effort?!

Ushijima is drinking his coffee, still staring at Tendou intently, clearly unbothered by the silence filling the air. What is this guy’s deal? Does he have an ulterior motive? Something just doesn’t seem right…

“Can I ask you a question?” Tendou prods, cocking his head.

“Of course.”

“So like,” he starts, laughing, “I’m not blind, and you clearly aren’t either. Doesn’t this seem kinda… I dunno, weird?” 

He’s answered with a blank stare.

“Like,” he continues, “we’re from two super different worlds and I’m not sure how we’re meshing so well… I’m the quirky art student and you’re the perfectly chiseled athlete. Our worlds aren’t really supposed to collide, y’know?” he leans forward, “What if we’re breaking the rules of the universe right now? And forces from the heavens above are going to come down and smite us for doing this? And for getting along?”

Ushijima looks incredibly puzzled, eyebrows knitted together and lips pursed, “You’re saying a lot of words and I don’t follow most of them, Tendou. I apologize.”

“It’s just,” Tendou shrugs, makes vague gestures with his arms, “look, you’re super out of my league. And I like you a lot, but I’m not stupid.”

“I don’t believe you’re stupid either,” Ushijima agrees, “however I’m not sure what ‘league’ you’re referring to.”

There’s that genuine confusion. Adorable.

“Here’s the deal,” Tendou presses his finger against the table, as if doing that will somehow help get his point across, “you walked into my class looking like a greek god, I got this crazy thought to ask you out, didn’t expect it to actually work, and now I’m sitting here and talking to you and we’re getting along and it’s…” he stops, takes a breath, “I just didn’t expect that.”

Ushijima smiles with amusement, “You thought I would turn you away?”

“I mean… yeah! You’ve gotta have people begging you to go out all the time! And out of all those people, you let me have some of your time?”

“Yes,” Ushijima nods, “to the second part. However, no, I do not have people begging me to go out all the time. Most people do not speak to me. I think they find me threatening. I have been told I’m intimidating, though I’m not sure why.”

Interesting. Tendou studies Ushijima’s face; the sharpness of his jaw and the thickness of his eyebrows contrasted with the gentleness of his eyes and the plushness of his lips. Sure, he’s intimidating. But more in the sense that he feels too beautiful to approach. Like a marble sculpture from centuries ago that might turn to dust at even the softest touch. It’s possible that his expression is much more intense while he’s playing volleyball or working out in the gym, but as far as Tendou knows, he’s only seen regal beauty and a stoic aura from the guy in front of him.

“I don’t think you’re threatening,” Tendou mumbles, rests his head in his hands and his elbows on the table as he continues staring forward, “honestly you’re one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Genuinely. It’s kinda refreshing.”

“I am glad. I think the same of you. That is why I wanted to get coffee with you. Being approached like a normal human being was a very pleasant change.”

 _Funny_ , Tendou thinks, _since I’d previously been convinced you couldn’t possibly be human at all._

“I never thanked you for that,” Ushijima says before Tendou gets a chance to respond, “you are the only one in the class who wanted to speak to me and ask my opinion on your work. And, since I feel as though my efforts as a model are at least part of the work that goes into those pieces of art, I appreciated you approaching me. Thank you.”

Tendou makes a mental note to thank all of this friends later for encouraging him to speak to Ushijima in the first place. Who knew that simply making an effort to say hello would grant him the ability to get to know this guy with zero effort, _and_ be thanked profusely.

“It’s really no big deal,” Tendou shrugs, “I’m glad I talked to you, and I uh… appreciate your efforts as a model. A lot. You’re very good.” 

Alright, so maybe he lets his tone take a slightly flirty turn at that last part.

“...And really nice to look at.”

That one wasn’t intentional, not really, but Tendou’s brain and his heart felt like taking a risk.

Ushijima barely laughs, “I am glad.” he pauses, and from across the table, Inside his head, Tendou does a fist pump, “You are also pleasant to look at.”

The fist pump has transitioned to a dance party, confetti is falling from the sky and there’s a parade specifically for Tendou, with banners that say ‘You did it!’ and ‘He thinks you’re cute!’ and a marching band behind them.

In the real world, Tendou blushes profusely and his wobbly smile returns, “Aw, c’mon,” he mumbles, “I’m just a weird noodly guy. But thanks, Ushijima.”

“I am not sure what a ‘noodly guy’ is, but I do not think you’re weird. You’re just different, and interesting. I quite enjoy your expressions and the way you move around a lot, it’s a bit unpredictable but… I enjoy it.”

Well, well, well. Tendou’s smile shifts to a smirk. Could this date be going any better? He doubts it, unless Ushijima was sitting here shirtless right now. But he’s not, and that’s okay. He looks cute in his heather gray school hoodie. 

Besides, getting to hang out with Ushijima in a setting where he’s not completely nude is actually quite nice for a change. It’s nice to be able to appreciate the other just as amazing pieces of Ushijma without being incredibly distracted by his muscles. Honestly, Tendou thinks he’ll have a much easier time drawing him from now, after seeing him in his light and this setting.

The rest of the date goes just as well. Tendou continues sharing his sketches, telling stories of each image and explaining his techniques and the various mediums he’s used. Eventually, he ends up moving his chair closer and closer, until he’s seated right next to Ushijima, their thighs touching and their arms bumping together every so often.

It’s only when Yachi quietly informs them that she needs to start cleaning up and closing the cafe down that they realize how much time has passed.

As they leave the cafe and step into an empty campus under a gradually darkening sky, Tendou is the first to speak.

“So~ I’ll text you, that cool?”

“It is,” Ushijima nods, clutching the straps of his backpack currently slung on his back, “Would you like to get coffee again?”

“Sure!” Tendou grins, “Yeah! I’ll let you know when I’m free. Oh! And I’ll try to use less of those kaomoji things,” he laughs.

“The faces?” Ushijima asks.

“Yeah, those.”

“Don’t use less,” he shakes his head, “they are confusing but they are amusing. I enjoy them.”

It feels impossible for Tendou’s smile to get wider and his heart to feel even bigger, but both are true as he responds, “Oh! Cool! I’ll keep using ‘em then! See ya ‘round, Ushijima!”

With his entire arm, Tendou waves goodbye before skipping off in the direction of his home. Ushijima gives a small wave in response before heading the opposite way.

Lucky for Tendou, this would just be the beginning of many more coffee and sketchbook dates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please feel free to reach out to me on twitter, I'd be honored if you wanted to talk to me! (esp about ushiten, tendou, or shiratorizawa in general!) ♡
> 
> art twitter: [tendouaf](http://www.twitter.com/tendouaf)  
> twitter: [ushitentxt](http://www.twitter.com/ushitentxt) (I'm mostly active here right now! Please come talk to me~)  
> tumblr: [tendou-satori](http://www.tendou-satori.tumblr.com)  
> art blog: [kat-doodles](http://www.kat-doodles.tumblr.com)
> 
> And! If you haven't yet, check out my wonderful partner for this project!  
> twitter: [Kai_GRT](https://twitter.com/Kai_GRT)  
> tumblr: [kaigrt](https://kaigrt.tumblr.com/)  
> 


	5. Chapter 5

Fall transitions to winter and winter transitions to spring. No longer in figure drawing class, Tendou misses the regular opportunity to draw people from observation, as well as, oddly enough, Washijou’s grumpy attitude. If his anxiety had had its way last fall, he’d also be missing the opportunity to see Ushijima Wakatoshi on a regular basis.

Thankfully, that’s not the case.

It’s a breezy day in May, and he’s met up with his former figure drawing model, now current boyfriend, for a day in the botanical garden. No longer stressing about what to wear around the stoic Ushijima, who he’s found to be much less stoic and much more charmingly awkward, Tendou’s dressed in a boldly printed button-down he’d bought at the thrift store, something he’s sure has to be from the 90s, and a pair of bright blue shorts. Sandals with mismatched socks and a pair of black sunglasses complete his look.

His bright outfit is a stark contrast from Ushijima’s; his boyfriend looks incredibly cute in a school polo, as well as khaki shorts and, to Tendou’s utmost delight, sandals with socks.

“You wore them!” Tendou greets him with a wide smile and a bounce in his step, pointing enthusiastically to Ushijima’s feet, “‘Toshiiii, I’m so proud!”

Ushijima looks down at his feet and smiles at Tendou’s reaction, “I did,” he stops for Tendou’s usual greeting, a big hug and multiple kisses across his face, “My roommate was less enthusiastic about it.”

“Well, your roommate doesn’t know _anything_ about fashion,” Tendou reaches up, pokes Ushijima’s nose, and then eagerly takes his hand in his, “You look great! And we match!”

“Yes, though you seem to match with the flowers more than I do,” Ushijima observes, gripping Tendou’s hand tight as he gestures to the wide array of colors surrounding them.

Tendou gives a loud laugh. He hadn’t even thought about it that way! Most people stare in disgust when he dresses like this, not that he really cares, but his boyfriend has found something positive to say about it, and seems genuinely into what he’s wearing. Yet another gem from the super cute mouth of Ushijima Wakatoshi.

“Brought my sketchbook!” Tendou announces, patting his back pocket, where a small moleskine resides, “Just let me know when you see somethin’ you want me to draw, then you can tell me all about it!”

Ushijima nods, already taking this task very seriously and looking around at the wide array of plants around them.

And so, they walk for a while, stopping every so often when Ushijima spots a flower he’s learned about in class. As Tendou sketches out what he sees, Ushijima talks about the plants, listing random facts and stating their scientific names. Tendou makes an attempt to write these names next to all his sketches, but messes up nine times out of ten and has to have Ushijima fix his spelling. But, like with everything else, Ushijma doesn’t judge him and instead just gently corrects him, then returns to spouting off knowledge.

He’s super smart, Tendou’s realized. Book smart, anyway. Socially? That’s a different story. But it’s part of the charm he has for Ushijima, that’s for sure. He’s a little bit of a doof, but he’s a cute doof with a really big heart and a love for nature.

The day seems to whiz by way too fast for Tendou’s liking, but by the time they’re ready to leave, he’s filled a surprising amount of pages in his sketchbook. And, of course, he’s got the memories to go along with them. That’s always one of his favorite parts of any sketchbook.

He’s really still not sure how he got so lucky with Ushijima. Having a boyfriend this kind and polite? A genuine interest in each other’s hobbies? Lots of laughs and good conversation? Kisses and hugs and cuddles and sometimes more than that? Not to mention how perfect looking he is, but at this point, that’s not even Tendou’s favorite thing about Ushijima. It’s the companionship that he treasures the most.

But, of course, Tendou would be lying if he didn’t say Ushijima being super hot is an added bonus.

Back on campus once again, Tendou finds it hard to part ways with his boyfriend, finds it difficult to let go of his hand when it’s time to head to each others apartments.

“Did you have a good time today?” Ushijima asks, polite as always as he lets Tendou slide his arms around his neck.

“Yeeeeaaaah,” Tendou drawls, “kinda wish it wasn’t ending though.”

“Did you want to get more drawing done?”

Tendou shrugs, smirks, “Maaaaybe. But I don’t really wanna draw flowers anymore. I’m thinkin’,” he presses closer, “of other subject matter.”

Ushijima blinks once and then twice. The gears are going in his head. Tendou cheers silently for him inside his own head.

“Would you like to come back to my apartment?”

There it is. Tendou smiles.

“I sure would, thanks for asking, ‘Toshi.”

This isn’t really a rare occurrence, and truth be told, most of the time when they go to each others places, they simply sit and talk for awhile. But their relationship is developing and changing and Tendou somehow feels even more of a spark inside of his chest, more of a flutter in his heart, every time he looks at Ushijima. And whether the night plays out with genuine conversation, even more sketching, or… other activities, Tendou doesn’t really have a preference. Just the company is more than good enough.

But hey, maybe Tendou likes to sometimes get reacquainted with that body, the one that captivated him and introduced him to a guy that he can now call one of his best friends: 

Ushijima Wakatoshi: who’s heart and mind are even more incredible than the super hot body encasing them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!! ;; I'd love to hear your thoughts if you have any! Any comments are super duper appreciated ♡ Also! If you want more UshiTen, please take a look at my other fics! I'd especially recommend 'i'm a house with no windows', which is my passion project~
> 
> Please feel free to reach out to me on twitter, I'd be honored if you wanted to talk to me! (esp about ushiten, tendou, or shiratorizawa in general!) ♡
> 
> art twitter: [tendouaf](http://www.twitter.com/tendouaf)  
> twitter: [ushitentxt](http://www.twitter.com/ushitentxt) (I'm mostly active here right now! Please come talk to me~)  
> tumblr: [tendou-satori](http://www.tendou-satori.tumblr.com)  
> art blog: [kat-doodles](http://www.kat-doodles.tumblr.com)
> 
> And! If you haven't yet, check out my wonderful partner for this project!  
> twitter: [Kai_GRT](https://twitter.com/Kai_GRT)  
> tumblr: [kaigrt](https://kaigrt.tumblr.com/)  
> 


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